Lodging Reservations

An axiom of the Internet is that it makes life easier for people. But don't try telling this to someone using the Internet in an attempt to find a good hotel rate and to book a room.

"I've tried and I've given up," declares Alex Au, a Singaporean who describes himself as "a small businessman who needs to watch his budget." Mr. Au, who travels in Southeast Asia regularly for business, says that "there are thousands of hotel-booking Web sites, and they're not well-known brand names, at least to me. A...